Emil hubee



(No Model.)

B. HUBER. FORTE GAUSTIQUE FOR TESTING METALS.

No. 323,581. Patented Aug. 4, 1885.

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N, PETERS. Pnoto-Lima n mr. wmmn non. n. c.

Srarns arena Unites.

EMIL HUBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO EMILE BAYOT, OF SAME PLACE.

PORTE CAUSTIQUE FOR TESTING METALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,581, dated August 4, 1885.

Application filed March 30, 1885. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL HUBER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gold and Silver Testers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to a cheap and simple device for quickly and conveniently testing coins and other articles of gold and silver and determining whether they are genuine or spurious, solid or plated; and the invention consists of a case that is provided with a stick composed of a mixture of nitrate of silver and saltpeter, and a detachable cover, the end of which is provided with asocket having a suitable abrasive substance.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved testing device for gold and silver articles, and Fig. 2 a vertical central section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A in the drawings represents a case or holder, of wood or other suitable material. The case A is provided with a smaller neck, A, to which a hollow detachable cover, B, is applied. Into a socket of the case A is secured a stick, a, formed of a mixture of nitrate of silver and saltpeter, which stick is extended so as to project from the case A, as shown in Fig. 1. The outer end of the cover B is provided with a depression, 7), into which a body, 0, of abrasive material, formed of emery and glue or any other suitable abrading substance, is placed. The abrading body is made of such a size as to project beyond the end of the cover B, and can be renewed from time to time, as required.

My improved testing device is used as follows: The metals to be tested as to their genuineness are first moistened at a suitable point, after which the end of the stick a is rubbed over the moistened portion. If the metal be genuine gold or silver or an alloy of the same, the stick exerts not the slightest effect thereon, while when the metal is base or an alloy of base metal the moistened part becomes black by the action of the nitrate of silver.

In case of plated ware it is necessary to abrade a small portion of the article by means of the abrading body C, after which the abraded surface is moistened and rubbed with the stick of nitrate of silver, from the effect of which it will readily appear whether the body of the article treated is of base or genuine metal.

The neck A, that supports the stick a, and the end of the cover 13, that forms the socket for the abrasive body 0, are made thin enough to be readily out off by a pocket-knife, so as to expose new pieces of the stick a and of the abrasive body 0, respectively, in case the projecting portions are worn off by use.

The testing device forms a neat and cheap means for testing all kinds of articles of gold or silver, coins, &c., and is especially useful in emergencies, and when the test has to be made quickly and when no acids are at hand.

I am aware that it is not new to inclose a stick of nitrate of silver in a case or holder, 7'

and I therefore do not claim this feature, broad ly, but only in connection with the cover having a socket into which a body of abrasive material is inserted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 7 as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A gold and silver tester composed of a case or holder having a neck of reduced thickness, a stick of nitrate of silver inserted in the neck and body of the holder, and a detachable cover 8 having a socket at the end and a body of abrasive material inserted into said socket, sub stantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in prcs- 8 once of two subscribing witnesses.

EMIL HUBER.

Vitnesses:

PAUL GonrnL, CARL Knnr. 

